Flexible coupling



July .19, 1949. J. E. MULHEIM 2,476,894

' FLEXIBLE COUPLING Filed Oct. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY July-19, 1949. J. E. MULHEIM 2,476,894

FLEXIBLE coUPLING Filed Oct. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WlTNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July i9, 1949 FLEXIBLE COUPLING Joseph E. Mulheim, Lima, Ohio, assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 8, 1945, Serial No. 621,083

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to.coupling de- '.vices and, more particularly, to a flexible coupling for transmitting power to a driven shaft and for absorbing torsional vibration.

The coupling of the present invention is primarily intended for use with electric generators, or other devices, driven by an internal combustion engine, and it is especially adapted for driving aircraft generators, although its usefulness is obviously not restricted to this particular application. I

Aircraft generators, which are used for supplying the electrical loads on airplanes, are usually mounted, on a main engine of the airplane, and driven from a power take-off shaft geared to the engine crank-shaft. Thus, if the generator shaft were rigidly connected to the driving shaft, the generator would be subjected to severe torsional vibration caused by the pulsating torque of the internal combustion engine. This torsional vibration may have a considerable amplitude over a relatively wide range of frequencies, and it will be apparent that if this vibration were transmitted to the generator through a rigid driving connection, excessive torsional stresses would be set up in thegenerator. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a flexible coupling device for connecting the generator shaft to the drive shaft in order to absorb the torsional vibration, or at least to materially reduce the amplitude of the vibration transmitted to the generator, so

as to keep the stresses in the generator within permissible limits. It is desirable for such a coupling device to have relatively high flexibility in order to keep the natural frequency of the coupling below the range of frequencies of torsional 4vibration which occur in the normal operating speed range of the engine, so as to avoid resonance, which would amplify the vibration. By making the coupling sumciently flexible, resonance can be avoided except as a transient condition during starting and stopping of the engine, and the generator is substantially isolated from the engine vibration during normal operation. If adequate damping is provided, the amplitude of vibration during the transient resonant condition can be kept from becoming excessively large.

Thus, a flexible coupling for use with aircraft generators must have relatively high exibility, so as to havel a lowl natural frequency and adequately protect the generator from torsional vibration. There are also certain other requirements which must be met by a coupling intended for this service. Such a coupling must permit the existence of a reasonable amount of angular 2 or lateral misalignment between the generator shaft and the drive shaft without causing rapid wear or excessive loading of any part of the coupling, since it is not always practicable, in mounting a generator on an aircraft engine, to obtain absolutely perfect alignment of the generator shaft and the engine drive shaft. The coupling must also be capable of interrupting the drive.

under a predetermined excess torque, in order to protect the driving sears in case the generator shaft should jam as a result of mechanical failure. In common with other types of aircraft equipment, a flexible coupling for aircraft use must be highly reliable, and its weight must be as low as possible. It will be obvious, therefore, that the design of 'a flexible coupling to meet these exacting requirements presents a dlilicult problem.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a flexible coupling device for transmitting power to a driven shaft and for absorbing torsional vibration, which meets all of the requirements outlined above, and which is of simple and reliable construction.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a flexible coupling device for transmitting power to a driven shaft, which can readily be designed to have high flexibility, so as to have a low natural frequency, and which will permit a reasonable amount of misalignment between the driving means and the driven shaft without causing excessive wear of any part of the' coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible coupling device which will slip to interrupt the drive at a predetermined'excess torque, and in which the slip point and the deflection characteristics of the coupling can be accurately controlled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexiblecoupling device for transmitting power to a driven shaft, with a friction damping means to reduce the amplitude of torsional vibration, the assembly being designed so that all parts, including a bearing for the shaft, are adequately ventilated.

The invention will be more fully understood from the folowing detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in

and the members I3 andv I1.

Fig.,2 isa longitudinal sectional view of the coupling device;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary setcional view, on an enlarged scale. showing a damping means; and

posite end by an end bracket 3 which is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft engine. An air shield or hood I is preferably secured to the end bracket 2, and is adapted for connection to a blast tube, or other s'ource of Ventilating air, to provide blast cooling of the generator in the usual manner. Pole pieces are mounted in the frame I of the generator and carry suitable field windings 6. The rotor or armature member of the generator is supported in ball bearings 1 mounted in the end brackets 2 and 8,` and includes a hollow shaft l which has a plurality of generally radial ribs 8. .A laminated armature core I Il is supported on the ribs 8 and carries suitable armature windings I I.

The armature shaft l is driven by the flexible coupling device I2 to which the present invention is particularly directed. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2. the coupling I2 includes a tubular member I8 of steel, or rother suitable rigid material, -with a radial nange portion I4 at one end having teeth Il to effect a driving connection with the shaft to be driven by the coupling. 'Ihe coupling I2 also includes a driving member I6, which is also shown as being a tubular member in order to keep the weight as small ber I3, and `which is disposed within the member I3.

A flexible driving' connection between the members I3 and I0 is effected by means of a! tubular member, or sleeve, I8 of a suitable resilient material, preferably rubber, either natural or synthetic. The rubber tubular member I8 is proportioned to fit tightly in the annular space 1 between the tubular member. I3 and the portion I1 of the driving member I 8, but is not bonded or otherwise connected to them, so that the drlvy ing connection is effected solely by the frictional engagement between the resilient material I8 The portion I8 of the driving member I8 which extends out of the tubular member Isis provided with spline teeth 20 at its -outer end for engagement with the driving means and, in the preferred embodiment,

the teeth 20 extend for the entire length of the portion I9 of the driving member I0 and have portions 2| adjacent the cylindrical portion I1 for engagement lwith the damping means described hereinafter. l

This coupling device has several distinct advantages. By properly proportioning the resilient tubular member II, and by correct choice of material. the deflection characteristics of 'the coupling can be very accurately controlled, so as to make the flexibility as great as desired, and in this way the resonant frequency, or natural The particular generator is not bonded to the other elements of the coupling. but drives them only by frictional engagement. the rubber member I8 will slip with respect to the tubular members I8 and I8 at a deflection of the coupling corresponding to a predetermined excess torque, so that the coupling interrupts the drive to protect the drive gears in case of Jamming of the generator armature because of mechanical failure, or for any other reason, The slip point, or the excess torque at which slipping occurs, can be controlled very accurately in the design of the coupling, and thus the drive gears are lpositively protected.

When the amplitude of deflection of the rubber member I8 of the coupling becomes great enough for slipping to occur, the amplitude ofy deflection remains constant, and thus the maximum denection of the rubber member` and. therefore, the maximum shearing stress in the rubber, are limited by the slip torque for which the coupling is designed. The heat generated during slippage of the coupling changes the deilection characteristics of the rubber, and thus changes the natural frequency, so that the coupling is able to withstand operation at its critical frequency for long periods of time without damage, and without causing excessive amplitudes of torsional vibration to be transmitted. It will also beobvious that the weight of this coupling device is relatively small, and that because of its simplicity, it is very reliable and can readily beproduced.

In applying the coupling I2 to an aircraft generator, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the coupling is partly disposed within the hollow shaft 8, and the outside diameter of the tubular member I3 of the coupling is made somewhat less than the inside diameter of the hollow shaft 8, so that the coupling fits into the shaft with a small annular clearance between the coupling and the shaft. The shaft 8 is driven by means of an annular member 22 secured to the end of the shaft in any suitable manner, as Aby screws 28. The member 22 has teeth 2l cut in its internal periphery to engage with the teeth It of the tubular member I8 of the coupling I2. The teeth I5 and 24 are designed to have substantial clearance between them, as shown in Fig.

frequency, can be made to havey substantially 1 any desired value. Since the rubber member I8 3, to eifect a loose, splined driving connection, so that a reasonable amount of misalignment, either angular or lateral. can occur between the generator shaft 8 and the coupling I2 without causing excessive wear on the teeth, or excessive loading of any part of the coupling. Thus, the generator shaft 8 is driven from the driving means (not shown), which engages the splines 20 of the coupling I2, through the resilient coupling and the engaging teeth I5 and 24 of the coupling and the shaft. respectively.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a frictional damping means, generally designated by 25, is provided to damp the torsional vibration which may be transmitted through the coupling to the generator shaft in order to decrease the amplitude of such vibration, especially during transient resonance conditions when undesirably large amplitudes of vibration may occur, with resultant high stresses in the generator. In order to accommodate the damping means 25, the shaft 8 terminates in a radial ilange portion 2B of relatively large diameter. An annular cap member 21 is attached to the outer surface of the flange portion 28 by means of screws 28, and the cap member '21 has an axially extending flange portion 23 which engages the bearing 1 to support the shaft at that end of the generator.

The damping means 25 is positioned in a recess in the end of the shaft 3 between the ilange portion 26 of the shaft and the cap member 21. The damping means 25 includes a plurality of friction plates 30, which are preferably made of, or faced with, sintered material or other' suitable friction material. The plates 30 are of annular shape and have radial projections about their outer periphery which engage in slots 3| cut in the outer wall of the recess in which the damper is positioned within the flange portion 26 of the shaft, so that the plates 30 move with the shaft 8. The damping means 25 also includes a plurality of steel plates 32 alternating with the friction plates 30. The plates 32 are also annular in shape, although of smaller diameter than the plates 30, arid are mounted on hub members 33 by means of rivets 34, or in any other suitable manner.- The hub members 33 are internally splined to engage the spline teeth 2| uoi" the driving member I6 of the coupling |2, which extends through the axial flange 29 of the cap member 21, the spline teeth being reduced in diameter between the portions 20 and 2| to prevent interference with the flange.

Thus, the plates 32 move with the driving member I6 of the coupling.

` The alternating plates 30 and 32 are forced into frictional engagement with each other by means of a spring washer 35, which is held in position against the plates by the cap member 21,.the spring pressure being adjusted to the desired value by a shim or shims 36. Thus, the outer set of plates 30, which move with the shaft 8, is held in frictional engagement with the inner set of plates 32, which move with the drive member I6 of the coupling, so that relative torsional movement between the shaft and the drive member is damped by the frictional engagement of the damping plates, and thus the amplitude of torsional vibration of the shaft is reduced.

The construction of the present invention also provides for adequate ventilation of the bearing 1 at the coupling end of the generator in the manner described and claimed in a copending application of J. D. Miner, Jr. and J E. Mulheim, Serial No. 526,012, filed March 11, 1944, now Patent No. 2,436,320, issued February 17, 1948. As more fully set forth in that application, it is difficult to adequately cool the bearings at the rear or coupling ends of aircraftgenerators, and it is proposed in the copending application to pro-y vide suflicient cooling for these bearings by conducting cooling air to them through a hollow shaft, and directing it from the shaft to ow directly over the rear bearing.

The construction of the present invention is adapted to provide ventilation for the bearing 1 in this manner. The tubular member I3 of the coupling I2 fits into the shaft 8 with an annular clearance between the coupling and the shaft, as previously described, so that air flowing through the hollow shaft 8 from the air hood 4 ows through the annular space between the coupling and the shaft. The cooperating teeth VI and 24 of the coupling and shaft, respectively, have sumcient clearance to permit misalignment of the shaft and coupling, as previously explained, and this clearance is also suflicient to permit the air owing between the shaft and coupling to ow between the cooperating teeth. Holes 31 are provided' in the damper plates 32 in the path of this air, and corresponding holes 38 are formed in the annular cap member 21, so that the air owing through the hollow shaft l flows between the shaft herent in the coupling I2 itself is provided. lIn

this construction, the hollow armature shaft 8 terminates in a radial surface to which an annular cap member 40 is attached by screws 4|, or in any other` suitable manner.- The cap member 4|! has an axial flange portion 42 which engage* the bearing 1 to'support the shaft, the drivingJ member I6 of the flexible coupling 'I2 passing through the flange 42. In this embodiment of the invention, the portion I9 of the driving member I6 may have spline teeth 43 at its outer end only, for engagement with the driving means, the coupling I2 being otherwise exactly the same as previously described.

The annular cap member 40 has an axially extending portion 44, extending over the end of the tubular member I3 of the coupling, and this portion 44 of the cap member 40 has internal teeth 45 cut in it for engagement with the teeth I5 of the coupling to eiIect a driving connection between the coupling |2 and the shaft 8. The teeth I5 and 45 are designed to have suiiicient clearance to permit misalignment between the shaft and the coupling, as previously described, and to permit Ventilating air flowing through the shaft to ow between the teeth. The annular cap member 40 has holes 46 opposite the engaging teeth I5 and 45, through which the cooling air flows directly over the bearing 1 to cool 1t. It will be apparent that, except for the omission of the damping means 25, the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that of Figs.. 1 and 3, and has the same advantages.

It should now be apparent that a flexible coupling device has been provided which has many advantages, especially in itsapplication to aircraft generators, although the same advantages can obviously be attained in connection with other types of equipment, since the coupling device I2 itself is capable of use with various types of equipment, and may be used in any suitable assembly to transmit power to a driven shaft. When used for its primary purpose of driving an aircraft generator, however, the particular structure and arrangement shown and described have been found to be very advantageous in combination with this type of flexible coupling.

It will be obvious, that the invention is capable of various modifications and embodiments, and is not restricted to the particular arrangement shown and described. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to the particular structural details illustrated, but in its broadest aspects it includes all equivalent embodiments and modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a hollow driven shaft. a tubular member disposed within said driven shaft and having a driving connection therewith, a rigid driving member having a cylindrical portion disposed within said tubular member, a tubular member of resilient material fitting tightly in the annular space between the driving member and the first-mentioned tubular member to eiieet a resilient driving connection therebetween. and friction damping means engaging said driving member and said driven shaft to damp torsional vibration.

2. In combination, a hollow driven shaft, a tubular member disposed within said driven shaft, said tubular member and driven shaft having cooperating teeth thereon to effect a driving connection, said cooperating teeth having sufcient clearance to permit a small amount of misalignment between the tubular member and the driven shaft, a rigid driving member having a cylindrical portion disposed within said tubular member, a tubular member of resilient material Afitting tightly in the annular space between the driving member and the mst-mentioned tubular member to effect a resilient driving connection therebetween, and friction damping means engaging said driving member and said driven shaft to damp torsional vibration.

3. In combination, a hollow driven shaft, a tubular member disposed within said shaft, said tubular member being of smaller diameter than the hollow of the shaft so as to provide a space between the tubular member and the shaft, said shaft having teeth adjacent theend thereof and said tubular member having teeth cooperating with the teeth of the shaft to eect a driving conf nection, said-cooperating teeth having suicient clearance therebetween to permit a small amount of misalignment between the tubular member and i the shaft and to permit air flowing through the hollow shaft and the space between the tubular member and the shaft .to ilow between the cooperating teeth, a driving member having a cylindrical portion disposed within said tubular member, a tubular member of resilient material fitting tightly in the annular space between the driving member and the mst-mentioned tubular member, an annular cap member secured to the end of said hollow driven shaft, said cap member having a tubular iiange portion and said driving member passing through the cap member, and a bearing for the driven shaft engaging the flange portion of the cap member, said bearing being disposed in the path ofl air owing between said cooperating teeth to be cooled thereby.

4. In combination, a hollow driven shaft, a tubular member disposed within said shaft, said tubular member being of smaller diameter than the hollow of the shaft so as to provide a space between the tubular member and the shaft, said shaft having teeth adjacent the end thereof and said tubular member having teeth cooperating with the teeth of the shaft to effect a driving connection. said cooperating teeth having sumcient clearance therebetween to permit a small amount of misalignment between the tubular member and the shaft and to permit air flowing through the hollow shaft and the space between the tubular member and the shaft to flow between the cooperating teeth, a driving member having a cylindrical portion disposed within said tubular member, a. tubular member of resilient material fitting tightly in the annular space between the driving memberl and the first-mentioned tubular member, an annular cap" member secured to the end of said hollow driven shaft, said cap member having a tubular flange portion and said driving member passing through the cap member, a bearing for the driven shaft engaging the nange portion of the cap member, and friction damping means engaging the driving member and the driven shaft to damp torsional vibration, said damping means comprising interengaging plates secured to the driving member and the driven shaft respectively and means for forcing the plates into frictional engagement, said plates and said cap member having openings therein, whereby air iiowing between said cooperating teeth flows over the bearing to cool it.

JOSEPH E. MULHEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,941,061 Thiry Dec. 26, 1933 2,025,834 Tautz Dec. 31, 1935 2,114,807 McCavitt 1.----- Apr. 19, 1938 2,174,223 Frauenthal et al. Sept. 26, 1939 2,220,751 Bergman 1 Nov. 5, 1940 2,361,226 Miner, Jr., et al Oct. 24, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 302,625 Great Britain Sept. 15, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES Scientific American, page 272, May 1941. 

